Pillow and similarly cushioned article



oct. 6, 1942. R E, MADSON 2,298,218

PILLOW AND SIMILARLY CUSHIONED ARTICLE 'Filed June 27. 1940 PatentedOct. 6, 1942 PILLOW AND SIMIIARLY-CUSHIONED ARTICLE Regner E. Madsen,ChicagoJll., assigner to Protectoseal Company of America, Inc., Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application June 27, 1940, Serial No.342,655

3 Claims.

The invention relates to cushioned articles such as pillows, mattressesand bassinettes, and par-` ticularly it relates to cushioned articles ofthe kind. described having `thicknesses normally less than their length'or width.

Anelongatedv pillow casing of selected dimensions, if filled or stuffedto its unrestricted capacity with cushioning material, is distendedthereby to, substantially cylindrical shape and likewise, ifL the casingis vapproximately square and similarly lled or stuifed to capacity, itis distended toI substantially spherical shape or ccnguration. It lis'in general desirable and for most purposes practicable that pillows andlike cushioned articles have thicknesses less than their length orwidth, and the invention has among its objects the provision of novelmeans adapted to limit the maximum possible thickness of a cushionedarticle of the kind described to dimensionssubstantially less than itswidth or length and, without impairing its cushioning qualities orpreventing it from being crushed, bent, turned, reclined, doubled orotherwise distorted as the user may desire.

Since materials such as feathers, down, and thes like hitherto generallyused as cushioning material forV pillows and similarly cushionedarticles tend to give oi dust to which many persons are hypersensitiveor allergic and a selected. amount of such materials has no iixed volume.by reason of the individual particles thereof rbeing ufiy and tendingto spread out, the, invention has as another of-its objects theprovision of dustless cushioning material made up of `a .plurality ofparticles, elements or iiakes preferably of various sizes, theindividual particles being characterized by their having a normalxedconguration and the lack of any tendency to expand or change theirshape other than when they arecompressed or otherwise distorted. Amongthe materials adapted for cushioning purposes and having the abovedesignated desirable characteristics may be included cellular latexrubber, sponge rubber, or any other form of rubber or material ofsimilar texture and having like qualities and. resiliency whencompressed or otherwise distorted wherebyV when a casing or other;single receptacle is lled to capacity therewith,4 such materials areundistorted and have theirmaximum initial resiliency and cushioningqualities.

A further object of the invention is. the pro- Vision of a pillow orsimilar. cushioned article having cushioning material so enclosed and ofa Icharacter such that the .material does-not dis- 55 th'enet-likecasingl I3 `to relatively `large particles-- seminate any dust particlestov which the user" may behypersensitive or allergic.

Another object of the invention is theprovision, in. pillows having aplurality of dustless, porous, resilient par-ticles as cushioningmaterial, of an. improved receptacle or casing for such materialswhereby the casing does not retard or interfere with the yielding orso-calledbreathing prop-l erties of the enclosed material.

A further object of the invention .is the pro-vv vision of improvementsin pillows and similar ar-A ticlescomprisingan inner cushion and anouter f closed slip, the improvements adapting thepillow to-be washedand dried intact, centrifugally'- or otherwise without aifecting itsnormal -con figuration, cushioning or exible qualities.

A-urther object of the invention is the provision of: improvements inpillows Y and similar cushioning articles adapting the same tol be dis-:torted and to remain in any suitable or desired distorted position orconguration and to retain 1 their full flexibility and cushioningqualities unimpaired in any'and all such positions.

their intended purpose.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown anddescribed will be obvious to thosefskilled in the art.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference charactersindicatelike or correspond-- ingparts:

Fig. 1 is a plan view partially in section of a pillow embodying theprinciples of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a View along the line 2 2 of Fig.1; and

Fig. 3 is a view along the line 3-3-of Fig. 2.

latex,` and sponge rubber or any other form of rubber prepared for thispurpose by grinding, shredding, cutting, flaking and the like, ispreferablyused, the particles being of any suitable size from thesmallestrwhich may be retained by Referring now more particularly to thedrawing, the invention is illustrated as embodied in a l having therequisite cushioning properties. The amount of cushioning material usedvaries with the dimensions of the pillow and is preferably such that thecasing I3 is as nearly completely filled as possible to theconfiguration indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 without initial compression ofany of the particles or elements comprising the material, or in otherwords the casing is loosely lled.

The outer slip is constructed of any suitable fabric material such aslinen or cotton suiciently closely woven to be substantially imperviousto the passing of dust particles therethrough under normal usage. Theslip has a closely stitched marginal hem I4 preferably inturned alongone longitudinal edge and across one end, the hem being out-turnedacross the other end for convenience in opening and closing to permitinsertion and removal of the casing I3 containing the cushioningmaterial I2.

The casing material I3 may be closely woven but it preferably consistsof interwoven threads which may be of any desired color and of anytexture suitable for weaving. The threads comprising the casing materialI3 may be as closely spaced as 140 to 180 per inch or the casing may becoarser and the spacing of the threads much greater, but sufficientlyclose that the casing retains the finer particles of the cushioningmaterial I2. The wider or net-like spacings of the threads comprisingthe casing I3 are desirable as they permit free ingress and egress ofair to the cushioning material I2, or in other words, the so-calledbreathing characteristics of the cushioning material are not impaired byan openwork casing.

The casing I3 may be made from a single sheet of material cut and foldedto a double thickness of rectangular shape as shown With its contiguousedges connected by stitches to provide an out-turned hem IB, or ifpreferred, the sheet may be cut and similarly folded to provide a casinghaving round corners.

A casing I3 of given or selected lateral and longitudinal dimensions, iflled with cushioning material to its maximum capacity, will be distendedto a substantially cylindrical shape instead of being relatively flat asordinarily made. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, the capacityof the casing I3 is limited by and prevented from being distended tocylindrical form when filled to such limited capacity by means of bandsor tie members connecting opposite sides of the casing. The tie membersare provided to limit the permissible amount of spread or spacingbetween the opposite sides of the casing I3 and thereby tocontrol theamount of distension and the thickness of the casing and of the pillow Ias a whole.

Only two tie members respectively designated by the numerals I1 and I8are shown in the drawing, but obviously, any other number may beprovided if desired. The maximum amount of uncompressed cushioningmaterial that a casing I3 equipped with the tie members I1 and I8 isadapted to contain obviously depends not only on the longitudinal andlateral dimensions of the casing, but also upon the lengths and thearrangement of the tie members |1 and I8. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3,wherein the casing I3 is illustrated as filled with cushioning materialI2 to its said limited maximum capacity with the elements or flakescomprising the cushioning material uncompressed, it is apparent that thetie members I1 and I8 tend to hold the casing I3 to the configurationshown when so filled. The

opposite ends of each of the tie members II and I8 are fastened togetherin any suitable manner such as by tying or by stitching to formcorresponding continuous members of suitable length. The tapes or bandsI9 respectively stitched or otherwise fastened to the opposite sides ofthe casing I3 and similarly spaced from the marginal edges thereof arearranged in the form of rectangles preferably of the same dimensions.Similarly, two tapes or bands 28 are respectively fastened to oppositesides of the casing I3 and extend longitudinally thereof and arepreferably so positioned as to bisect the rectangular spaces provided bythe bands I9. A plurality of loops 2| are fastened to each of the bandsI9 and 28. The tie member I'I forms a lacing extending through a loop 2|fastened to a band I9 on one side of the casing, then through acorresponding loop 2| fastened to a band I9 on the other side of thecasing. The tie member I'l is in turn laced through all of the loops 2|of the bands |9, the lacing being as shown in Fig. 2 and being of such alength that it is substantially taut when the casing is filled todesired capacity without compressing the cushioning material I2 at thethickness and for the general configuration of the casing shown.Likewise, the continuous tie member I 8 is laced through the casing I3by extending it through all of the loops 2| on the oppositely positionedbands 20, the arrangement being as shown in Fig. 3 and similar to thearrangement of the member II. The end loops 2| on the bands 20 arespaced slightly away from the contiguous portions of the bands I9. Thespacings of the loops 2| on the bands I9 and 20 are substantially equaland preferably less than the maximum permissible thickness of the casingI3 when filled and in its normal configuration with the cushioningmaterial undistorted. The described spacirigs of the loops 2| are suchthat the tie members Il and I8 limit the flow of the cushioning materialI2 when the pillow is in use and permits substantially free flow thereofduring manipulation or distortion of the pillow in the manner commonlycalled iiuffing Obviously, when the casing I3 is filled with cushioningmaterial I2 as described and with the tie members |'I and I8 drawnsubstantially taut, the pillow will normally tend to retain theconfiguration shown in cross section in Figs. 2 and 3. The tie memberslimit the thickness to that shown and the cushioning material tends tohold the tie members relatively taut except when such material iscompressed or otherwise distorted by use. Without some means such as thecontinuous longitudinally movable tie members |'I and 8, the limitedamount of cushioning material would not be held by the casing I3 in acompact undistorted bulk, but would tend to flow in the casing and uponmanipulation, the easing would be only partially filled. The tie membersI1 and I8 being free to move relative to the loops 2|, areself-adjustable to permit easy manipulation of the pillow fromundistorted to any distorted position or from one distorted position toanother or from a distorted position back to its normal configuration.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided an article such as a pillowor the like having cushioning material of improved desirablecharacteristics and novel means for limiting the capacity of a casingcontaining such cushioning material whereby the pillow is alwaysrelatively compactlyi'illed and the resiliency and cushioning qualitiesthereof are increased.

Having thus described my invention, it will be obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same Without departing fromthe spirit of the invention; hence I do not Wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement andcombination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an article of the kind described, a casing providing a receptaclefor cushioning material, a plurality of loops disposed within andfastened to one side of the casing and a corresponding number of loopsdisposed within and fastened to the opposite side of said casing, twocontinuous tie members each successively extending through a loop on oneside of the casing and then through a loop on the opposite side of saidcasing, said tie members being adapted to limit distension of the casingand to correspondingly limit its capacity and its thickness when filledto said limited capacity, one of said tie members extending around thecasing at a uniform distance from the marginal edges thereof and theother extending along a substantially median line thereof, said tiemembers being adapted to be moved longitudinally relative to all of theloops with Which said members are respectively connected, and a body ofundistorted cushioning material loosely lling said casing to saidlimited capacity, said cushioning material comprising a plurality ofresilient particles having fixed dimensions when unconfmed andundistorted.

2. In an article of the kind described, a casing providing a receptaclefor cushioning material, two continuous longitudinally movable tiemembers connecting the opposite sides of said casing at a plurality ofpoints adapted to limit its distension and to correspondingly limit itscapacity and the thickness thereof when lled to said limited capacity, abody of undistorted cushioning material of the kind described looselyfilling said casing to its limited capacity, a plurality of loopsfastened to opposite sides of said casing, one of said tie members beingsuccessively laced through a loop on one side and then through a loop onthe other side of the casing, said loops being so arranged that said tiemembers extend around said casing at a distance from the marginal edgesthereof, the other of said tie members being similarly laced through theremaining loops along a substantially median line of the casing, saidtie members being adapted for unlimited longitudinal movement througheach of the loops with which they are respectively connected.

3. In an article of the kind described, netting arranged to provide aclosed casing or receptacle, resilient cushioning material looselyfilling said casing, a plurality of loops disposed Within the casing andfastened to opposite sides thereof in spaced apart relation along linesforming boundaries of substantially quadrangular areas on each of saidopposite sides, a plurality of loops similarly disposed Within thecasing and fastened to opposite sides thereof along the median lines ofsaid areas, a continuous tie member threaded alternately through a loopon one side and then through a corresponding loop on the other side ofthe casing to provide a lacing connecting all of theY loops so arrangedalong boundary lines of said areas, a second continuous tie memberthreaded alternately through a loop on the median line on one side andthen through a corresponding loop on the median line on the other sideof the casing to provide a lacing connecting all of said median loops,said tie members each being freely movable longitudinally relative tothe sides of the casing and their length being such as to limit thethickness of the casing relative to its width and length when looselylled with cushioning material.

REGNAR E. MADSON.

